Indonesia and Serbia have committed to enhancing their cooperation in several key areas, including trade, industrial development, food and energy security, and emerging technologies. This agreement was reached during the fifth Bilateral Consultation Forum held in Jakarta.
As part of the discussions, Indonesia extended an invitation to Serbia to collaborate in mineral exploration, nickel processing, and the electric vehicle supply chain. Both countries also explored opportunities in artificial intelligence, data centers, semiconductors, and digital transformation.
The bilateral trade between Indonesia and Serbia has shown significant growth, increasing by an average of 20.62% annually from 2021, with projections reaching $53.6 million by 2025. In light of this growth, both nations expressed their interest in exploring a potential free trade agreement and agreed to establish a joint economic commission to expand trade and improve access to Central and Eastern European markets.
Investment opportunities and industrial production were also on the agenda, alongside discussions on cooperation in employment. A significant point of agreement was to explore government-to-government arrangements aimed at strengthening the legal protection of Indonesian migrant workers in Serbia.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to upholding sovereignty and territorial integrity. Looking forward, they agreed to convene the sixth Bilateral Consultation Forum in Serbia, with the date yet to be announced.